As Paul concludes his teaching on Christian freedom (1 Corinthians 10:23–11:1), he gives a bold directive: “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1, NLT).

I’ve heard countless sermons on this passage, urging us to imitate Christ. Most often, these sermons define imitation as serving the church and others, focusing on actions and deeds. While these are certainly part of following Christ, there is a crucial aspect we may be overlooking. True imitation of Christ involves three essential aspects that we must examine within ourselves before focusing on outward actions.

Beyond prayer, studying God’s Word to know Christ intimately, and obedience, there are three deeper dimensions of imitation that I want to highlight.

Death

The first aspect of imitating Christ is His death. Christ gave His life to save the world and laid Himself down for the Church (Ephesians 5:25). If we are to follow His example, we too must die—for the sake of the Kingdom. This doesn’t mean physical death, but a surrender of self, putting to death our fleshly desires and the pull of the world so that we may fully live for Him.

Resurrected Life

The second aspect is Christ's resurrected life. We must live empowered by the Spirit. God has given us His full power to accomplish His will, but we must believe and leave behind any unbelief that can quench the Spirit (James 1:6-8).

We must live for the Kingdom, keeping our eyes fixed on what is above. Our treasures should be stored in Heaven, not on earth. Every word, action, and desire should flow from a heart devoted to glorifying God and advancing His Kingdom, rather than being consumed by earthly pursuits. Our constant question should be: How does this add to God’s Kingdom?

True Imitation

Lastly, if we are truly imitating Christ, we should be able to say to a brother or sister, as Paul did, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.” If we cannot confidently invite others to follow our example, knowing they will see Christ reflected in us, then our imitation falls short. True imitation of Christ is not merely personal—it should be visible, undeniable, and worthy of being followed.